Hello readers! Okay, so the shippuden sequel is now published, called One day we will watch that autumn crocus bloom, if you liked this story then check it out. Anyway, I decided to add some foreshadowing in the form of an epilogue at the very end of part one. Hope you like the sequel! This is just a quick bit, but enjoy anyway and remember to review. ; )
Kirika was on the edge of a forest. It was warm and cloudy. She took a breath and gazed around. There were mountains; the forest was growing on mountains. She could not see the peeks, a veil of mist was rolling over the mountains, blanketing them and wafting over the forest. She stared forward into the forest, mystified. Through the silence, she could faintly hear her pocket watch's song playing: the song of the autumn crocus.
'Hsssss'
Kirika slowly turned her gaze down. A little white snake wrapped around her feet.
Dazed, she returned her gaze forward. Her head tilted back. She was moving; traveling through the forest at incredible speed. But she was not running. She was standing still; the forest was speed past her.
Everything stopped suddenly. And everything was still. Kirika gazed forward. "What..." She whispered. Her voice was an echo. A ripple. "What is this place?"
She stood at a brick wall leading into a cave; the wall is covered with moss and corroded from time, but it still sturdy. There were arched doorways in the wall, and glassless arched windows. She could not see what was inside the cave; through the openings there was only darkness.
The snake was still coiled around her ankles. It hissed and slithered to the entrance of the cave. It stopped and just stared back at Kirika. It gave one final hiss then continued onwards into the darkness.
A whisper: 'Come forward.'
Kirika took a step. Her breath hitched. She tensed and pulled her foot back. "N-no!"
'Why do you hesitate? It is your fate. There can be no turning back.'
'no turning back.'
'no turning back'
'no turning back.'
...
...
...
'It is your fate."
Kirika eyes opened shot.
Her head rolled to the side, candle light flickered around the room. She was at home: in a base of the sound village. She turned her head back to centre and stared up at the ceiling. She sighed and raised her hands above her face, still dazed from the sudden rousing. She wondered what time it was.
It didn't really matter. It was early, some ungodly hour, and she did not want to sleep again, even if more sleep would come. So she did what she always did.
Kirika got out of bed. Some experiment might need review. Some mission report might need an overlook. She left bed-and the dreams-hastily, to melt away into memories so dismal, they might have never existed.